Following their latest reunion and the release of "The Ballad of Darren," their ninth studio album, Blur is entering another hiatus. Damon Albarn, the frontman of Blur, in a recent interview with Les Inrockuptibles, a French magazine reported by Far Out Magazine, remarked, “It is time to wrap up this campaign. It’s too much for me. It was the right thing to do and an immense honor to play these songs again, spend time with these guys, make an album, blah-blah-blah.”
This statement follows the band's final live performances in South America last month. Blur, which features Graham Coxon on guitar, Alex James on bass, and Dave Rowntree on drums, has been a significant presence in the music scene.
Despite this pause, Albarn left a window open for Blur's future, as he mentioned to Les Inrockuptibles, “I’m not saying I won’t do it again; it was a beautiful success, but I’m not dwelling on the past.”
For fans, the news of Blur's hiatus must be a mix of disappointment and frustration. Just when they were reveling in the band's resurgence and new rhythms, this pause feels like an abrupt halt to the euphoria. It's a rollercoaster of emotions, from high anticipation to a sudden, uneasy quiet.
The band initially disbanded in 2003 and has since reunited occasionally for shows in the U.K. and internationally, starting in 2009. Reflecting on their recent reunion and new album, Alex James told Rolling Stone, “Blur has always been an effortless, joyous, weightless kind of experience… All the years in the world fall away, and it’s just the four of us and the music in the room, and nothing’s changed since that first rehearsal 35 years ago.”
Who knows when Blur might pull another surprise album out of the blue? Their history of unexpected comebacks keeps fans on their toes, sparking a thrilling sense of unpredictability.
In addition to Blur's activities, Albarn shared with the French magazine his upcoming projects, including an opera set to premiere in Paris next year and a new collaboration with Jamie Hewlett in India for a forthcoming Gorillaz album.
Meanwhile, guitarist Coxon is preparing to tour the U.K. with The Waeve, his project with Rose Elinor Dougall. They are scheduled to open for Elbow during their 2024 U.K. arena tour.
